En garde…

Today saw the launch of a new sporting activity at Gomer: fencing. Y6 were introduced to fencing today and provided with masks and foil to learn some basic maneuvers involved with the sport.

Fergal reported: ‘It was great to try something new and I can already see that this is a very disciplined sport. You have to really concentrate!’

This sport is often not introduced at primary level but we like to provide the children with new experiences. We have introduced this to the curriculum because:

Fencing is an individual sport, so it is ideal for children who prefer to be in control of their performance.

Fencing requires a great deal of mental focus without realising it. In order to be successful, you need to plan your next move and watch your opponent’s moves. Because fencers are engaged in a physical activity that they enjoy, they don’t realise the amount of mental effort they are exerting. Fencing can be an extremely useful tool in training a child’s ability to focus and this new-found ability can carry over into academics and other areas of the child’s life.